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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cases, caddies and tool boxes. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved electrician""s wire caddy and tool box apparatus that affords an electrician who is running wire in an installation the ability to pay out wire of one or more different gauges from a plurality of spools that are mounted at the upper portion of a tool box or case, and having a lower storage area with a plurality of compartments for containing articles to be used by the electrician such as tools, receptacles, switches, wire nuts, switch covers and the like.
2. General Background of the Invention
Electrical installation in buildings occurs in basically two segments. First, the conduit and switch and receptacle boxes are roughed in, locating the routes where the electrical wiring is actually run. At the time the conduit is put in, various boxes for receptacles, switches and the like are located, attached to the conduit and made ready for the mounting of the receptacles and switches.
After the conduit is run, and usually before the wallboard is placed on the studs, an electrician returns to pull wire through the conduit and install the various receptacles, switches and other like fittings.
The standard wire pulled in circuits of this type is typically No. 12 or gauge 12, typically available on 500 ft. spools. It is not uncommon to pull multiple circuits (i.e. more than one wire) at a single pull. During such a pull, the wire spools should be easily accessible to the electrician, enabling the electrician to pull the wires through the conduit to install the various circuits.
Various patents have issued for tool boxes, receptacles, caddies and the like that in some cases support or hold spools. One such patent is U.S. Pat. No. 2,342,954 issued to Mercer and entitled xe2x80x9cSpool Holderxe2x80x9d. In the Mercer patent, a spool holder includes a base, a pair of spaced, upwardly extending parallel walls carried by the base, a pair of transversely arranged spaced parallel walls angularly disposed with respect to and joined to the outer side of each of the first pair of walls. Each pair of the parallel walls is adapted to rotatably receive at least one spindle for supporting a spool of yarn or the like and a carrying handle mounted upon and extending between the first mentioned pair of walls. The handle is equipped with guide means for receiving the yarn from the spools.
A gift wrapping storage container is disclosed in the Homan U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,833. The apparatus provides a hinged cover container having ribbon spool storage and dispensing dowels in the cover and a divided major container portion for storage of folded paper in one section and cards and ribbon in a smaller section. The inside of the cover is provided with loops of elastic ribbon for securing hardware useful for wrapping.
The Cohn U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,769 discloses a wire packaging and handling device for items wound on reels such as wire, and specifically to a packaging and handling device for a reel of wire such that individual lengths of wire may be easily unwound without removing the reel from the device. Steaming crates are known for supporting spools of material such as the Carpenter U.S. Pat. No. 1,752,884, and the Daugert et al. U.S. Pat. No. 1,677,385.
Patents have also issued for sewing cabinets that have rods for supporting spools of material. Examples of such sewing cabinets include, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,858,105 and 2,541,845.
The present invention provides a tool box for an electrician, cable installer or lineman providing both mounting means for the wire-containing spools for paying out wire and storage space for the usual tools, parts and accessories used by the individual installer in the course of installing, routing, or hanging wire or cable.
The present invention provides an apparatus that includes side portions, which either by themselves or with additional supports provide a mounting on a shaft or axle for the spools of wire or cable to be installed. Surplus scrap pieces of conduit are normally available on a job site to be utilized as the shaft or axle for supporting the spools. In the course of running the wire or cable, the spool of wire or cable may rotate on the shaft, while being maintained in the central location of the parts and accessories.
The enclosed portion of the apparatus provides a storage area that may be fitted with a variety of compartments or receptacles for storage of selected parts and accessories. In differing embodiments of the invention, the dividers for forming the individual compartments may be fixed or moveable, in order to provide different styles of toolboxes meeting the preferences of different electricians. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus provides a closeable cover that can be hinged or otherwise fashioned to the body of the box to prevent inadvertent loss or removal of parts or accessories when the apparatus is unattended, or during transport.